Indio opens 20-year-old time capsule, reveals glimpse into city’s past and residents’ hopes for the future

Indio opened a 20-year-old time capsule on Wednesday, revealing student essays, newspaper clippings, and city memorabilia that offered a window into the community’s past and residents’ aspirations for the future.

In 2005, middle and elementary school students in Indio wrote down their hopes and dreams for the city. They predicted new schools, streets, libraries, stores, parks, and casinos for kids. The casinos for kids have not yet panned out, but other than that, the students proved very prescient.

While Indio might not be the next New York City or Las Vegas as some kids hoped, the new library is expected to open in late August or early September, while the new city hall and sports park are scheduled to open in November. New stores and restaurants are opening, schools have been renovated over the years, and streets have been repaved, all in line with the students’ biggest hopes.

“It was a testament to what our students and citizens wanted,” said Mayor Pro Tem Elaine Holmes during the ceremony. “And now the city is responding.”

The time capsule was originally placed behind the wall at the former city hall in 2005 and opened once in 2010 to add additional items. City officials unveiled the contents at a public ceremony attended by council members, staff and community representatives.

Among the items discovered were mini groundbreaking shovels from the Indio Teen Center construction in May 2007 and the Indio Senior Center in June 2008, along with a police challenge coin from 2010 and pins from the Indio Rotary Club and the city’s Date Festival.

The capsule also contained newspaper articles including copies of The Desert Sun and The Press Enterprise from May 2005 with articles detailing the city’s plan to buy land for what would eventually become the Indio Teen Center.

Also in the capsule was a travel guide for the city, featuring many familiar restaurants and points of interest like the Indio Golf Course, the Trump 29 Casino, Ciro’s restaurant, and Andy’s Burgers. 

“What’s kind of cool about this is that most of these businesses in [the guide] are still here,” Holmes said. “They’re still active. I think that’s a testament to our city and our community.” 

The city is now preparing a new time capsule to be placed in the upcoming city hall, with plans to open it in 20 years.

So far they’ve included menus from local favorite restaurants like Victoria’s Cafe, a piece of the CV Link bike path, Indio merchandise with the city’s new logo, and letters from the current city council. 

Officials are inviting community members to submit photos and memorabilia from local businesses, church groups, and community events. The new capsule will be placed in the lobby of the new city hall, located near a stairway and identified by a plaque.

The capsule highlighted how much things like prices have changed over 20 years. Gas prices in 2005 hovered around $2.40 and a used Toyota Tacoma was going for $14,000.

The makeup of the city council has also changed. In 2005, the city still hadn’t had an African American member of the council. That didn’t happen until 2018, when Troy Strange was elected. 

Councilmember Waymond Fermon acknowledged Strange, who was in attendance, saying that he underscored inclusivity in the city.

“I’m the first African American mayor,” he said. “And that speaks volumes of our community. It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what you look like, what sexual orientation, what race, if you were an Indio, you’re part of the Indio family.”

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More information: Residents have until July 25 to submit photos for the time capsule online.

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